This fruit is a native of China. It is now cultivated in a number of countries, outside china, including India, Burma, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand. India and South Africa are largest producers other than China.

Parts Used:

Fruit

Forms of Use:

Fruit, Jam, Jelly, Juice

Properties:

Refreshing

Nutritive

Tonic

Diuretic

Products- preservation:

Fruit arils can be preserved by canning it with syrup. In China, a solution of common salt is sprinkled over fruits to prevent rapid spoilage.

Juice can be obtained by routine method, by adding preservatives like potassium meta-bi-sulphite in sugar syrup.

NUTRITIONAL VALUE:

This fruit consists of peel, aril and seed. The aril, which can be readily separated from seed, is soft and juicy with a delicious flavor and is generally eaten fresh. It yields 38.7 - 58.7% of juice containing:

Total sugars (as invert sugar): 12.1 – 14.8 %

Reducing sugar: 9.0 – 13.7 %

Non- reducing sugar (sucrose, maltose): 1.0- 3.4%

Acid (as citric acid): 0.72- 0.36 %

Ascorbic acid: 34.5 – 45.4 mg per 100 gm

Analysis of fresh arils gave the following composition (per 100 gm):

Moisture: 84.5 %

Protein: 1.0 %

Fat: 0.3%

Carbohydrate: 13.6 %

Fiber: 0.4 %

Minerals: 0.5 %

Calcium: 10 mg

Phosphorus: 30 mg

Nicotinic acid: 0.4 mg

Ascorbic acid: 247 per 100 gm

Also contains vitamins B1 and B2.

MEDICINAL USES:

1. Fruit seeds are used in China for intestinal trouble.

2. Fruit seeds are also used against anodyne and prescribed in neuralgic disorders and orchitis.